Wizard's Guide - Greater Hives

Greater Hives is located 2 left and 12 up from the Asgard teleporter. This is Acestos Desert, so if you've got less than 2.5k hp, you'll need a ride. The first fight can be soloed at about level 200-250 for an AIEW. Most people only do the first fight over and over again for experience, so that's all I'm going to cover right now. (I will do a walkthrough for the entire cave at some point.)

The first fight is 5 Hornets, so the advice about getting Malevolent or lower and running Dark Gauntlet for the poison resist applies here, too. You will also want shift potions or a Hood of Shifting, and regen potions or Perfect Roses if you don't have the Enid's Blessing spell. (Regeneration potions work like Greater Heal and Cure Poison potions in one. You can buy them at Marvin's, or alch them, which is much cheaper, and gets you experience points.)

Before the fight, the highest level wizzie in the group (if there is a group) should cast Fire Grasp, Arctic Grasp, and Immolation on each bug. As these spells are blessings, not curses, they won't cause the bugs to jump you. Next, cast Extension, then Greater Invisibility. Invul yourself, drink a shift potion (if you don't have a HoS), and def the biggest bug to start the fight. Cast Mass Berserk first round. Hornets have around 33% MR, so if less than 4 are zerked, recast until you get them all. (Single zerk for just 1, it will last longer.) Once they're zerked, cast Mass Drain until they're dead. (Mass Drain should make up the damage you take from bites. If you need a round to breathe and recast, Zombies work well. They will die with 1 sting, but they will keep the bugs off of you for a round.) Reset the cave, rinse, repeat, until you see bugs in your sleep. The experience here is pretty good, the treasure not so much, although you will probably break even if you're soloing.

Good luck!